Method and use of a brush to increase the slip resistance of floor coverings

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a method for increasing the slip resistance of floor coverings and the use of a brush for increasing the slip resistance of floor coverings. State of the art

[0002] Slipping accidents are a major problem. The cause is often inadequate slip resistance in floor coverings that are not adequately designed to address the existing slip hazards. Especially with shiny, polished tile floors, slip resistance requirements are often ignored, necessitating subsequent modifications. This is even more true in barefoot areas, such as those found in wellness areas or indoor swimming pools. Water on the floor leads to a significant reduction in friction values ​​compared to dry conditions. For tile floors that are not sufficiently slip-resistant, mechanical and chemical methods are available for subsequent treatment to improve slip resistance or non-slip properties.

[0003] The chemical agents create a chemical reaction on the surface of the tile and roughen the floor covering. One such process is disclosed in EP3293322A1, for example. However, chemical agents cannot achieve a finish higher than R 9 according to DIN 51130 or, as required for barefoot areas, assessment group A according to the applicable DIN 51097. Furthermore, the use of chemical agents can pose a risk to humans and the environment, and the shine of high-gloss polished floor coverings is reduced. Chemical agents are also costly.

[0004] Mechanical slip resistance is a treatment method used almost exclusively before installation. Mechanical forms of surface treatment such as flaming and bush-hammering are well suited for natural stone, while sandblasting and corundum blasting are suitable for ceramic tiles. These techniques have the disadvantage of roughening and damaging the surface, and may even discolor it. Another disadvantage is the additional time required to clean roughened surfaces, as these have a significantly rougher surface structure with a higher resistance coefficient.

[0005] Other mechanical forms of surface treatment include roughening the surface by treating it with a brush which contains diamond particles as abrasive particles. Such brushes are known, for example, from WO 2005 / 113198 A2, US 2009 / 221212 A1 or EP1165866 A1. These conventional brushes have, for example, temperature-resistant polymer filaments with diamond particles on the surface. The disadvantage of such brushes is that although they can clean, polish or roughen the surface, they either lose the often desired shine of a surface or the surface is polished so intensively that its slip resistance decreases. There are no known processes using suitable brushes which simultaneously increase the slip resistance of floor coverings and leave the surface of floor coverings undamaged without changing the shine or the properties of the floor covering. Object of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a solution for a method and a use of a brush with which the slip resistance of floor coverings is increased even in barefoot areas on wet surfaces, without damaging the surface or changing the properties of floor coverings, and which is cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and with which already laid floor coverings can be subsequently treated in order to increase or restore the slip resistance. Description of the invention

[0007] This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1. A method is claimed for increasing the slip resistance of floor coverings by using a brush with filaments made of polyamide or PEEK or a mixture of polyamide filaments and PEEK filaments, wherein the filaments are high-temperature resistant and elastic, and contain 5-40 wt.% diamond particles with a grain size diameter of 60-500 micrometers, and wherein the diamond particles are admixed in the filaments.The use of a brush with filaments made of polyamide or PEEK or a mixture of polyamide filaments and PEEK filaments leads to an increase in the slip resistance of floor coverings by treating the floor coverings with the brush for a duration of 2 to 20 seconds per contact area of ​​the brush on the floor covering, while at the same time maintaining the properties of the floor coverings such as the shine or even restoring the shine of previously matt floor coverings.

[0008] Brushes with filaments made of polyamide or PEEK, or a blend of polyamide and PEEK filaments, have been shown to be particularly suitable for roughening the surfaces of floor coverings only in a microscopically detectable area, without impairing, damaging, or altering the properties of the original surface. Furthermore, treating floor coverings with these brushes also efficiently removes coatings or sealants, such as epoxy, cement film, or lime soap buildup. Using these brushes according to this process is cost-effective and environmentally friendly because chemical agents are not required. Furthermore, the floor coverings of previously installed floors can be subsequently treated, subsequently increasing their slip resistance, which is also more cost-effective than replacing the floors with new, more slip-resistant floor coverings.

[0009] The method according to the invention for increasing the slip resistance of floor coverings is characterized by the following steps: I) Providing a device with a brush with high-temperature-resistant and elastic filaments made of polyamide or PEEK, or a mixture of polyamide filaments and PEEK filaments, and with 5-40 wt.% diamond particles, wherein the diamond particles have a grain size diameter of 60-500 micrometers and are admixed with the filaments, and wherein the brush is a round or disc brush; II) Rotating the round or disc brush at a speed of 50-2000 rpm; III) Pressing the round or disc brush onto a floor covering with a specific brush pressure of 0.1 - 500 N / cm 2 , preferably 0.4 - 200 N / cm 2 ; IV) Treating the floor covering for a duration of 2 to 20 seconds per contact surface.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the round or disc brush in step II) rotates at a speed of less than 500 rpm, even more preferably less than 200 rpm. Preferably, the floor covering is treated in step IV) for a duration of 2 to 10 seconds per contact surface, even more preferably for a duration of 2 to 8 seconds per contact surface. Excellent results, i.e. a smooth surface of the floor covering with simultaneously increased slip resistance, are achieved if the floor covering is treated with a brush according to step I) at a speed of less than 200 rpm and for a duration of 2 to 8 seconds. The device in step I) is preferably a single-disc machine.

[0011] The method according to the invention is particularly suitable for increasing the slip resistance of floor coverings, even in barefoot areas, on wet surfaces, without damaging the surface or reducing the shine of floor coverings.

[0012] The process is cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and already installed floor coverings can be subsequently treated to increase slip resistance.

[0013] A further aspect of the invention relates to the use of a brush with filaments made of polyamide or PEEK, or a mixture of polyamide filaments and PEEK filaments, and with diamond particles for treating already laid floor coverings in order to increase slip resistance, as defined in claim 11.

[0014] Another aspect concerns the use of a brush with filaments made of polyamide or PEEK, or a blend of polyamide and PEEK filaments, and with diamond particles for pretreating floor coverings in industrial lines to increase the slip resistance of the floor coverings. For this purpose, floor coverings, such as tiles, are transported on conveyor belts through a brush line, where rotating brushes with pre-programmed pressure and conveying speed are applied to the surface of the floor coverings / tiles in a continuous process.

[0015] Brushes used include, for example, round, disc, drum, or roller brushes, preferably round and disc brushes. Drum and roller brushes are primarily used in industrial lines for the treatment of floor tiles before installation. Round and disc brushes are preferably used in machines, preferably single-disc machines, rotary polishing machines, or automatic scrubber-dryers, with which already laid floor coverings can be efficiently treated to increase slip resistance. The round and disc brushes preferably have a diameter of 100 mm to 1000 mm, preferably 120 to 400 mm, and rotate at a speed of 50 to 2000 revolutions per minute, preferably less than 1000 revolutions per minute, even more preferably less than 200 revolutions per minute, particularly preferably 50 to 200 revolutions per minute.This allows good results to be achieved even at low speeds of less than 300 revolutions per minute, preferably between 50 and 200 revolutions per minute, and increases traction without damaging the surface. A single-disc machine is a machine with a drawbar and a motorized housing into which a disc with a round or disc brush with the desired filaments can be mounted.

[0016] All aliphatic, aromatic, and cycloaliphatic polyamides, their copolymers, and blends of the polymers and copolymers can be used as polyamides for the polyamide filaments, provided they are high-temperature-resistant. High-temperature-resistant and elastic polymers with increased flexural rigidity are particularly preferred, as they are particularly suitable for use with disc and round brushes in rotating machines such as single-disc machines, where high frictional resistance occurs when used on the floor. This leads to a longer service life of the brush. Acid-resistant polyamides are also preferred. The polyamide filaments mentioned here are suitable for dry use, but can also be used with liquid, for example, water or a cleaning agent. In a particularly preferred embodiment, only polyamide filaments are used for the brush.

[0017] PEEK, also known as polyetheretherketone, is a high-temperature-resistant thermoplastic. In one embodiment of the invention, PEEK filaments or polyamide filaments and PEEK filaments are used together in a brush.

[0018] The filaments contain 5-40 wt.% diamond particles, based on the total weight of the filaments. Preferably, the filaments contain 10-30 wt.% diamond particles. The diamond particles have a grain size diameter of 60 to 500 micrometers, preferably 80 to 450 micrometers, even more preferably 100 to 400 micrometers. The diamond particles are also referred to as diamond dust. The diamond particles may contain other abrasive particles such as silicon carbide or ceramic. Particularly preferred results are achieved, however, with filaments which contain only diamond particles. Industrial diamond or artificial diamond is suitable as the diamond. To produce the filaments, the plastic polymers, i.e., the polyamide polymers or PEEK polymers, are preferably mixed with the diamond particles and formed to the desired length and thickness using an extrusion process. The filaments preferably have a diameter of 0.1 to 5 mm, preferably 0.2 to 1.2 mm and a length of 5 to 100 mm, preferably 10 to 50 mm. The filaments may contain additional additives such as antioxidants, UV stabilizers, dyes, pigments, wetting agents, surfactants, plasticizers, antistatic agents, rust inhibitors, and other liquid materials. A key difference from the brushes commonly used to clean a surface is that in the present invention, the diamond particles are mixed with the plastic polymers so that the diamond particles are mixed into the polymer filaments. In conventional brushes, the diamond particles are arranged on the surface of the filaments or are present in such a quantity that they roughen the surface of the floor coverings to such an extent that either the shine disappears or the slip resistance is reduced.

[0019] Floor covering refers to the wear surface of a building's floor. This includes stone, porcelain stoneware, artificial, natural, or ceramic tiles, terrazzo, cement-based floors, as well as plastic coverings such as vinyl, PVC, PU, ​​rubber, or epoxy flooring. The inventive use and method are particularly suitable for the treatment of previously laid floors, especially floors with surfaces that do not, or no longer, meet legal requirements, such as those installed in indoor swimming pools or wellness areas. Such floors include, for example, mosaic floors or ceramic, natural, or artificial stone tiles. This increases slip resistance while maintaining the surface's condition. Good results are achieved, especially on heavily used surfaces.A contaminated surface is understood to be a surface which, for example, is exposed to various cleaning cycles of a bathroom on a daily basis, or which contains various layer-forming materials such as disinfectants, epoxy or cement residues as well as lime soap formation consisting of water, oxygen, lime and chlorine.

[0020] The terms "slip resistance" and "slip resistance" are used interchangeably here. Test measurements to increase slip resistance or slip resistance are carried out according to the standards DIN 51130 and DIN 51097, respectively, the European standard DIN EN 16165 "Determination of the slip resistance of floors - Determination method," as well as according to "bfu Test Regulation R 9729 - Classification of floor coverings with slip-resistant properties." The coefficient of sliding friction is determined according to "bfu Test Regulation R 9729" and DIN EN 16165 Appendix D. It has been shown that the use of a brush with polyamide filaments with diamond particles according to the invention or the method according to the invention increases the slip resistance of floor coverings by at least one to two levels, such that the R value according to DIN 51130 increases to at least R10 to R13, or that the safety value according to DIN 51097 increases by one to two levels from A to B or C.The coefficient of sliding friction in the barefoot area according to "bfu test regulation R9729" increases by one to two levels, preferably by two levels, for example, from GB1 to GB3. At the same time, the surface properties do not change.

[0021] The method according to the invention and the use according to the invention are therefore particularly suitable for increasing the slip resistance of floor coverings, even in barefoot areas on wet surfaces, without damaging the surface or reducing the shine of floor coverings. Short description of the characters

[0022] They show: Fig. 1A Test measurement with a sliding measuring device FSC 2000 print with a plastic glider before treatment with a brush, Fig. 1B Test measurement with a sliding gauge FSC 2000 print with a rubber glider before treatment with a brush, Fig. 2A Test measurement with a sliding measuring device FSC 2000 print with a plastic glider after treatment with a brush, Fig. 2BTest measurement with a glide gauge FSC 2000 print with a rubber glider after treatment with a brush. Embodiment of the invention

[0023] The present invention is described in more detail below by means of an embodiment, which, however, does not limit the scope of protection of the inventive objects.

[0024] In an indoor swimming pool, an installed ceramic floor with a loaded surface was treated with a brush containing polyamide filaments and diamond particles. A disc brush with a diameter of 250 mm and polyamide filaments containing 20 wt.% diamond particles with a grain size of 400 micrometers was used and mounted in a single-disc machine. The disc brush in the single-disc machine rotated at a speed of 180 revolutions per minute and was pressed onto the floor with a specific brush pressure of 0.8 N / cm². The single-disc machine treated the floor covering for 8 seconds per contact area. The ceramic floor was treated before treatment, see Fig. 1A and 1B , and after treatment with the brush with polyamide filaments and diamond particles, see Fig. 2A and 2B, using the measurement method specified in "bfu Test Regulation R9729" with a FSC 2000 print sliding friction measuring device, and the sliding friction coefficient or average sliding friction coefficient was determined. Before treatment, the floor had a matte, cloudy surface with a sliding friction coefficient of 0.34, corresponding to a GB1 or GS2 level. After treatment, the floor covering had a glossy surface with a sliding friction coefficient of 0.59, corresponding to a GB2 or GS3 level, measured according to "bfu Test Regulation R9729." Thus, after treatment, the indoor pool floor exhibited increased slip resistance and slip resistance while maintaining the surface properties, and the slip resistance requirements were met.

[0025] In the Fig. 1A, 1B , 2A and 2BThe measurement curves with the sliding friction coefficient µ are shown when measuring over a floor length of 60 cm. The sliding friction coefficient µ was determined using a sliding measuring device FSC 2000 print according to the measurement method in accordance with "bfu Test Regulation R9729", whereby the sliding measuring device was equipped with a plastic glider ( Fig. 1A and Fig. 2A ) or with a rubber glider ( Fig. 1B and Fig. 2B ) and wet measurements were conducted with both gliders. The average value of the sliding friction coefficient µ was determined for each glider over a measurement length of 60 cm. The measurement began at 0 cm in the figures. The assessment of slip resistance or surefootedness is based on the overall average value of the plastic and rubber gliders.

[0026] The average sliding friction coefficient µ before treatment with the brush according to the above example was 0.30 with the plastic glider, see Fig. 1A, and with the rubber glider 0.38, see Fig. 1B , which corresponds to an overall mean value of the sliding friction coefficient µ before treatment of 0.34. The requirements for a slip-resistant surface in wet areas with a sliding friction coefficient µ of at least 0.45 are not met.

[0027] The average sliding friction coefficient µ after treatment with the brush according to the above example was 0.44 with the plastic glider, see Fig. 2A , and with the rubber glider 0.74, see Fig. 2B , which corresponds to an overall average sliding friction coefficient µ after treatment of 0.59. The requirements for a slip-resistant surface in wet areas with a sliding friction coefficient µ of at least 0.45 are met.

[0028] The values ​​of the sliding friction coefficient µ according to "bfu test regulation R9729" are 0.30-0.45 for GB1, 0.45-0.60 for GB2 and over 0.60 for GB3 in the barefoot area and 0.20-0.30 for GS1, 0.30-0.45 for GS2, 0.45-0.60 for GS3 and over 0.60 for GS4 in the shoe area.

Claims

1. Method for increasing the slip resistance of floor coverings, comprising the following steps: I) Providing a device with a brush containing high-temperature resistant and elastic filaments of polyamide or PEEK, or a mixture of polyamide filaments and PEEK filaments, containing 5-40 % by weight of diamond particles, wherein the diamond particles have a grain size diameter of 60-500 micrometres and are mixed into the filaments, and wherein the brush is a round or disc brush; II) Rotating the round or disc brush at a speed of 50-1000 rpm; III) Pressing the round or disc brush with a specific brush pressure of 0.1-500 N / cm2, preferably 0.4-200 N / cm2, onto a floor covering; IV) Treating the floor covering for a period of 2 to 20 seconds per contact surface of the brush on the floor covering.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the device of step I) is a single-disc machine.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the floor covering is treated for 2 to 10 seconds per contact surface.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the round or disc brush rotates at a speed of less than 200 rpm in step II).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filaments contain 10-30% by weight of diamond particles with a grain size diameter of 100-400 micrometres.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filaments are polyamide filaments.

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floor covering after treatment with the brush has a higher coefficient of sliding friction µ measured in accordance with the "bfu test regulations R 9729", compared to before treatment with the brush.

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floor covering is made of stone, fine stoneware, artificial, natural or ceramic tiles, or a cementitious floor, a vinyl, PVC, PU, rubber or epoxy floor.

9. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step IV) is subsequently carried out to the treatment of floor coverings that have already been laid in order to increase slip resistance.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that step IV) is carried out for the pre-treatment of floor coverings in industrial lines in order to increase the slip resistance of the floor coverings.

11. Use of a brush with filaments of polyamide or PEEK or a mixture of polyamide filaments and PEEK filaments to increase the slip resistance of floor coverings by treating the floor coverings with the brush for a duration of 2 to 20 seconds per contact surface of the brush on the floor covering, wherein the filaments are heat-resistant and elastic and contain 5-40% by weight of diamond particles with a grain size diameter of 60-500 micrometres, and wherein the diamond particles are mixed into the filaments.

12. The use of claim 11, characterized in that the filaments contain 10-30% by weight of diamond particles with a grain size diameter of 100-400 micrometres.

13. The use according to any one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that the filaments are only polyamide filaments.